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Nikki Glass #3
Rogue Descendant
The third novel in an action-packed urban fantasy series from the acclaimed author of the Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist books—starring a female private eye who discovers that she’s an immortal huntress.
No longer the leader of the Olympians, Konstantin has now gone into hiding. Konstantin is vulnerable, and Anderson believes now is the perfect time to destroy his nemesis. He orders private eye Nikki Glass to use her powers to locate Konstantin, and she balks at the idea until a series of attacks leads her to believe that Konstantin is gunning for her and Anderson instead of remaining safely in hiding.
Nikki’s search is complicated by Cyrus—Konstantin’s son and the new leader of the Olympians—who threatens retribution should his father be killed. The complications mount up as Nikki begins to suspect that Konstantin might not be behind the attacks after all. The only person who hates Konstantin more than Anderson does is Anderson’s estranged wife, Emma, who has joined the Olympians. And Nikki knows Emma would be more than happy if Anderson and his people embroil themselves in an all-out war against the Olympians—a war they cannot hope to win.
As Nikki tries to figure out who the true enemy is, she deals with her tumultuous relationship with Jamaal, who struggles to control his death magic. But being loved by a descendant of a death goddess is the least of Nikki’s worries…
No longer the leader of the Olympians, Konstantin has now gone into hiding. Konstantin is vulnerable, and Anderson believes now is the perfect time to destroy his nemesis. He orders private eye Nikki Glass to use her powers to locate Konstantin, and she balks at the idea until a series of attacks leads her to believe that Konstantin is gunning for her and Anderson instead of remaining safely in hiding.
Nikki’s search is complicated by Cyrus—Konstantin’s son and the new leader of the Olympians—who threatens retribution should his father be killed. The complications mount up as Nikki begins to suspect that Konstantin might not be behind the attacks after all. The only person who hates Konstantin more than Anderson does is Anderson’s estranged wife, Emma, who has joined the Olympians. And Nikki knows Emma would be more than happy if Anderson and his people embroil themselves in an all-out war against the Olympians—a war they cannot hope to win.
As Nikki tries to figure out who the true enemy is, she deals with her tumultuous relationship with Jamaal, who struggles to control his death magic. But being loved by a descendant of a death goddess is the least of Nikki’s worries…
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 30, 2013
41 people are currently reading
2035 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Black
54 books2,511 followersJenna Black is your typical writer. Which means she's an "experience junkie." She got her BA in physical anthropology and French from Duke University.
Once upon a time, she dreamed she would be the next Jane Goodall, camping in the bush making fabulous discoveries about primate behavior. Then, during her senior year at Duke, she did some actual research in the field and made this shocking discovery: primates spend something like 80% of their time doing such exciting things as sleeping and eating.
Concluding that this discovery was her life's work in the field of primatology, she then moved on to such varied pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation. She writes paranormal romance for Tor and urban fantasy for Bantam Dell.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jennab...
Once upon a time, she dreamed she would be the next Jane Goodall, camping in the bush making fabulous discoveries about primate behavior. Then, during her senior year at Duke, she did some actual research in the field and made this shocking discovery: primates spend something like 80% of their time doing such exciting things as sleeping and eating.
Concluding that this discovery was her life's work in the field of primatology, she then moved on to such varied pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation. She writes paranormal romance for Tor and urban fantasy for Bantam Dell.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/jennab...
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May 10, 2013
With book 3, the series continues to disappoint me. Characters showed little growth, especially the heroine, Nikki Glass. Despite a steady pace, the plot never rose beyond the level of mildly interesting. Excitement was very few and far and fleeting.
The Characters
+ Nikki
I liked how Nikki was aware of herself. She recognized she was a “bleeding heart,” had abandonment issues, and who she loved (in spite of what she may say to her sister) to name a few examples. What I didn’t like is how she never made an attempt to improve herself, or at the very least her abilities as a descendant, and it’s book fucking 3.
Nikki continued to remain a victim, never the kickass heroine of a huntress I had hoped for since book 1. She continued to depend on the Liberi to protect her and her family and the words of the Olympians to do no harm against her or, in proxy, her family. Unlike in other Urban Fantasies where promises hold weight, in Nikki’s world, in this particular book, Nikki learned the hard way how empty those promises were. I would have pitied her but she had many opportunities to learn the lesson in book 1 through 2.
Nikki should have already learned that these immortals were not humans and didn’t subscribe to things like compassion, honor, morals, and whatnot. I was astounded by how Nikki continued to be astounded at how callously and cruelly descendants acted. I would have thought her job as a private investigator would have taught her how cruel people can be, and when you give them immortality and magic and shits, they can be much, much crueler. Plus, no matter if that person is human or a descendant, when they have previously deceived you, experience dictates that you should never trust them or their words again. Guess what Nikki did?
In regard to Nikki’s abilities, she continued to rely on luck and chance for them to work. Presently, the only thing she seems to have mastered is her shooting accuracy. You would think she would carry a gun at all times, including her home at the Liberi manor where she can’t even be safe because of a tiger named Sita, but no. *facepalm* As a huntress and a descendant overall, Nikki remained an amateur. If she wasn’t the star of the series but instead a supporting character, she would be near the top of my list of characters that would eventually get permanently killed.
Two fucking books; Nikki had the time span of two fucking books to learn her lessons. She also had been warned by Anderson immediately in chapter 1. I felt sorry for her family, but I didn’t feel sorry for Nikki herself, not even when she got assaulted and died another death in a violent scene in the middle of the book. This is how far my unsympathy for Nikki extends.
+ the Liberi
As for the Liberi, Nikki’s supposed allies, they sucked. Anderson was an outright bully, and I literally said “ew” when I learned in the middle the story that he was potential love interest... to Nikki, that badshit crazy Emma, Anderson’s wife, was not completely delusional and wrong in her accusation. Ew. Ew. Ew.
Then there was Jamal, the only love interest Nikki cared about. The progress they made in their relationship from book 2 disappeared in book 3. While not as bad as he was in book 1, Jamal remained emo and self-tortuous. Jamal may have not been as bad as Anderson, I still wanted the dude to die a perma-death already. I hated how Nikki persisted trying to connect with Jamal because he told her many times he didn’t want to, that he didn’t need fixing, he didn’t need anyone, etc.
I was tired of Nikki’s personal issues getting in the way of her forming healthy relationships. She kept interacting mostly with hostile Liberi instead of the friendly ones.
+ the Olympians
They were easy to hate. Their evil machination was admirable, yet instead of leading to me believe how evil smart they were, it led me to believe how incompetent our good guys were. I don’t expect our good guys to get things right every time, but I do expect them to think things through, PLAN, and proceed with the PLAN. Compared to book 2, the good guys regressed to fools in book 3.
The Plot
The only good thing the plot had going for it was that it managed to keep my undivided attention. I felt only a couple steps higher than boredom, which is not really a compliment. I liked the red herrings at first, but at the end I hated them because the good guys didn’t learn about them till it was too late. Fortunately, only because Anderson and his secret and Nikki and her convenient luck did they manage to survive. However, I was disappointed that they didn’t kill this one hateful bad guy and be done with him already.
The cliffhanger of an epilogue didn’t surprise me because, unlike our witless good guys, the bad guys had contingencies in place. I hope book 4 will be a game changer as the cliffhanger led me to believe.
I also hope everyone will reconsider the fact that Blake’s power as a descendant of Eros, god of love, may not be limited to women, specifically the ability where whoever he sleeps with will always be left desiring him forever because no one will ever sexually satisfy them like Blake does. What happened with Cyrus at the end was extreme and out of character.
The World Building
The world building didn’t bother me as much as the aforementioned issues, but it still need to be said. I was disappointed by how unimaginative and limiting the world building stayed since book 1. There’s so much from mythology the series could use yet it restricts itself to a few banal things.
For example, as a descendant of Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt, Nikki can shoot and throw things with magical accuracy, hunt with a magical instinct (think spider sense from Spiderman), and get ambiguously (and unreliably) stronger when the moon blazes the sky. I was disappointed by how that is all Nikki could do when the series could allow her to do so much more. Artemis was also a goddess of wild animals; thus, Nikki could have communicated with Sita, Jamal’s tiger. Artemis could bring diseases and sudden death, if only to females, which meant she, and Nikki by extension, had the making of a death deity. It would have allowed Nikki to connect with Jamal as a descendant of a death god to another.
For a series based on an epic premise, the world described in book 3 felt quite provincial. It lost its mystique.
In Conclusion
I rate Rogue Descendant 2-stars for it was okay. I’m not sure if book 2 or book 3 was the worst, but either way, this series has been a letdown.
The Characters
+ Nikki
I liked how Nikki was aware of herself. She recognized she was a “bleeding heart,” had abandonment issues, and who she loved (in spite of what she may say to her sister) to name a few examples. What I didn’t like is how she never made an attempt to improve herself, or at the very least her abilities as a descendant, and it’s book fucking 3.
Nikki continued to remain a victim, never the kickass heroine of a huntress I had hoped for since book 1. She continued to depend on the Liberi to protect her and her family and the words of the Olympians to do no harm against her or, in proxy, her family. Unlike in other Urban Fantasies where promises hold weight, in Nikki’s world, in this particular book, Nikki learned the hard way how empty those promises were. I would have pitied her but she had many opportunities to learn the lesson in book 1 through 2.
Nikki should have already learned that these immortals were not humans and didn’t subscribe to things like compassion, honor, morals, and whatnot. I was astounded by how Nikki continued to be astounded at how callously and cruelly descendants acted. I would have thought her job as a private investigator would have taught her how cruel people can be, and when you give them immortality and magic and shits, they can be much, much crueler. Plus, no matter if that person is human or a descendant, when they have previously deceived you, experience dictates that you should never trust them or their words again. Guess what Nikki did?
In regard to Nikki’s abilities, she continued to rely on luck and chance for them to work. Presently, the only thing she seems to have mastered is her shooting accuracy. You would think she would carry a gun at all times, including her home at the Liberi manor where she can’t even be safe because of a tiger named Sita, but no. *facepalm* As a huntress and a descendant overall, Nikki remained an amateur. If she wasn’t the star of the series but instead a supporting character, she would be near the top of my list of characters that would eventually get permanently killed.
Two fucking books; Nikki had the time span of two fucking books to learn her lessons. She also had been warned by Anderson immediately in chapter 1. I felt sorry for her family, but I didn’t feel sorry for Nikki herself, not even when she got assaulted and died another death in a violent scene in the middle of the book. This is how far my unsympathy for Nikki extends.
+ the Liberi
As for the Liberi, Nikki’s supposed allies, they sucked. Anderson was an outright bully, and I literally said “ew” when I learned in the middle the story that he was potential love interest... to Nikki, that badshit crazy Emma, Anderson’s wife, was not completely delusional and wrong in her accusation. Ew. Ew. Ew.
Then there was Jamal, the only love interest Nikki cared about. The progress they made in their relationship from book 2 disappeared in book 3. While not as bad as he was in book 1, Jamal remained emo and self-tortuous. Jamal may have not been as bad as Anderson, I still wanted the dude to die a perma-death already. I hated how Nikki persisted trying to connect with Jamal because he told her many times he didn’t want to, that he didn’t need fixing, he didn’t need anyone, etc.
I was tired of Nikki’s personal issues getting in the way of her forming healthy relationships. She kept interacting mostly with hostile Liberi instead of the friendly ones.
+ the Olympians
They were easy to hate. Their evil machination was admirable, yet instead of leading to me believe how evil smart they were, it led me to believe how incompetent our good guys were. I don’t expect our good guys to get things right every time, but I do expect them to think things through, PLAN, and proceed with the PLAN. Compared to book 2, the good guys regressed to fools in book 3.
The Plot
The only good thing the plot had going for it was that it managed to keep my undivided attention. I felt only a couple steps higher than boredom, which is not really a compliment. I liked the red herrings at first, but at the end I hated them because the good guys didn’t learn about them till it was too late. Fortunately, only because Anderson and his secret and Nikki and her convenient luck did they manage to survive. However, I was disappointed that they didn’t kill this one hateful bad guy and be done with him already.
The cliffhanger of an epilogue didn’t surprise me because, unlike our witless good guys, the bad guys had contingencies in place. I hope book 4 will be a game changer as the cliffhanger led me to believe.
I also hope everyone will reconsider the fact that Blake’s power as a descendant of Eros, god of love, may not be limited to women, specifically the ability where whoever he sleeps with will always be left desiring him forever because no one will ever sexually satisfy them like Blake does. What happened with Cyrus at the end was extreme and out of character.
The World Building
The world building didn’t bother me as much as the aforementioned issues, but it still need to be said. I was disappointed by how unimaginative and limiting the world building stayed since book 1. There’s so much from mythology the series could use yet it restricts itself to a few banal things.
For example, as a descendant of Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt, Nikki can shoot and throw things with magical accuracy, hunt with a magical instinct (think spider sense from Spiderman), and get ambiguously (and unreliably) stronger when the moon blazes the sky. I was disappointed by how that is all Nikki could do when the series could allow her to do so much more. Artemis was also a goddess of wild animals; thus, Nikki could have communicated with Sita, Jamal’s tiger. Artemis could bring diseases and sudden death, if only to females, which meant she, and Nikki by extension, had the making of a death deity. It would have allowed Nikki to connect with Jamal as a descendant of a death god to another.
For a series based on an epic premise, the world described in book 3 felt quite provincial. It lost its mystique.
In Conclusion
I rate Rogue Descendant 2-stars for it was okay. I’m not sure if book 2 or book 3 was the worst, but either way, this series has been a letdown.
June 25, 2017
Third in the Descendant mythic urban fantasy series revolving around Nikki Glass, a private investigator who has learned she's a descendant of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Based in Washington, D.C.
My Take
I really liked the first one, Dark Descendant ; the second one, Deadly Descendant , was okay, a bit disappointing, but okay. This one? Oh, brother. Primarily because Nikki's character is so incredibly lame, hypocritical, AND selfish with her stupid bleeding heart — it was just too easy for the Olympians to set them up.
It makes no sense. Sure, I'm rather bloodthirsty, but when Anderson calls Nikki on her reasons for hunting down Kerner in Deadly Descendant , Nikki tells Anderson that it was justified because "it was the only way to stop him from killing innocents". Considering what she knows about Konstantin…why isn't she already on his trail!? I mean, hullooooo… It's just so incredibly contrived and illogical. Arghhh.
I do, I really do understand the theory of what bleeding-heart Nikki would like this world of Descendants to be, but she's going to have to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that reality and her rainbow world are not the same. I'd like to feel sorry for her as Konstantin runs about destroying things all around Nikki, but in this case, I'd say she's chosen to allow this to happen. Of course, she does get her own back by practically raping Jamaal. Ugh, I just couldn't stand Nikki in this. She has this narrow vision of the world, and it's all supposed to conform to what she wants and needs.
So, Nikki is a private investigator. She's already told Cyrus she's not hunting for his father. So, what does she do? Yup, takes her conspicuous Mini Cooper out to do surveillance.
Then I couldn't figure out why the moon was so very important until Black FINALLY reminded us at the end of the book that Nikki needs the moon up for her hunting powers to be at their best *eye roll*
The Story
It's a series of nasty jabs at Nikki and Anderson from a supposed Konstantin and definitely from Emma. The woman just can't leave either of them alone — especially when she brings Christina over to taunt them with her existence. The arson that destroys, well, that's just what Olympians do. Whatever does Nikki expect Cyrus to do about it?
The rest of the time she spends harassing Jamaal while Maggie has her own bit of verbal torture for Nikki.
The Characters
Nikki Glass is a descendant of Artemis, goddess of the hunt; in her old life, she was a foster child whom May and Ted Glass adopted. Now the Glasses are touring the world on a cruise ship. Steph is her so-human sister, who is involved with Blake Porter (Eros), a descendant of Eros — he's promised Nikki he'll behave with her sister. Grandma Rose is May's mother, who lives in San Francisco.
Anderson's group accept…
…descendants of Greek gods' and those from the lineages of other pantheons. Their mission statement, if you will, is that they should use their powers to make the world a better place.
Anderson Kane is a minor god descended from Thanatos and Alecto (Death and Vengeance) and he heads up this "cult" of the descendants of gods. The other members of his household believe that he is like them — Liberi Deorum . Children of the gods. He's a reasonable man until anger heats him up, and only Nikki and Konstantin know the truth. A truth Anderson is quite vehement be kept secret. Other members of the household include Maggie (Zeus through Hercules); Jamaal (Kali) has death magic that he channels into Sita, a humongous — and jealous — tiger; Logan Fields (Tyr); Jack Gillespie (Loki) tricks everyone; and, Leo (Hermes), a recluse and the financial wizard for the group.
The Olympians are…
…only descended of the Greek gods, and they have made a habit of killing any others. Konstantin (Helios) no longer leads the Olympians; he was forced to step down. His son, Cyrus (Helios), has taken over, leading all to hope for a kinder, gentler opposition with no more slaughtering of whole families of Descendants. Mark is Cyrus' Descendant bodyguard.
Emma Poindexter (Nyx) was Kane's insanely jealous bitch of a wife, who had been hidden in a pond by the Olympians where she spent 10 years drowning over and over — except for the occasions when Konstantin pulled her out to abuse her. Rescued by her own, she turns on them and decamps back to her abusers, although she can't resist torturing Anderson and Nikki. Christina is a new Liberi, transformed with Emma's help.
Erin was a healer and a descendant of Apollo who helped Nikki get over the enhanced rabies in Deadly Descendant . Dr. Prakash is the curator of an exhibit of Indian artwork Nikki uses to draw Jamaal out. Detective Taylor investigates Nikki's kidnapping.
A Descendant is the offspring of gods and becomes a Liberi, a Descendant, by killing a Liberi.
The Cover and Title
The cover is green, green, green with a green haze over the woods that make up the background and over Jamal's conjured-up tiger while Nikki is in black leather pants and a corset-style top, a gun held across her body. It's too bad Nikki hasn't read the tagline on the cover…
I'm guessing that Rogue Descendant refers to Konstantin as he's the only blackguard obviously running about.
My Take
I really liked the first one, Dark Descendant ; the second one, Deadly Descendant , was okay, a bit disappointing, but okay. This one? Oh, brother. Primarily because Nikki's character is so incredibly lame, hypocritical, AND selfish with her stupid bleeding heart — it was just too easy for the Olympians to set them up.
It makes no sense. Sure, I'm rather bloodthirsty, but when Anderson calls Nikki on her reasons for hunting down Kerner in Deadly Descendant , Nikki tells Anderson that it was justified because "it was the only way to stop him from killing innocents". Considering what she knows about Konstantin…why isn't she already on his trail!? I mean, hullooooo… It's just so incredibly contrived and illogical. Arghhh.
I do, I really do understand the theory of what bleeding-heart Nikki would like this world of Descendants to be, but she's going to have to wake up and smell the coffee and realize that reality and her rainbow world are not the same. I'd like to feel sorry for her as Konstantin runs about destroying things all around Nikki, but in this case, I'd say she's chosen to allow this to happen. Of course, she does get her own back by practically raping Jamaal. Ugh, I just couldn't stand Nikki in this. She has this narrow vision of the world, and it's all supposed to conform to what she wants and needs.
So, Nikki is a private investigator. She's already told Cyrus she's not hunting for his father. So, what does she do? Yup, takes her conspicuous Mini Cooper out to do surveillance.
Then I couldn't figure out why the moon was so very important until Black FINALLY reminded us at the end of the book that Nikki needs the moon up for her hunting powers to be at their best *eye roll*
The Story
It's a series of nasty jabs at Nikki and Anderson from a supposed Konstantin and definitely from Emma. The woman just can't leave either of them alone — especially when she brings Christina over to taunt them with her existence. The arson that destroys, well, that's just what Olympians do. Whatever does Nikki expect Cyrus to do about it?
The rest of the time she spends harassing Jamaal while Maggie has her own bit of verbal torture for Nikki.
The Characters
Nikki Glass is a descendant of Artemis, goddess of the hunt; in her old life, she was a foster child whom May and Ted Glass adopted. Now the Glasses are touring the world on a cruise ship. Steph is her so-human sister, who is involved with Blake Porter (Eros), a descendant of Eros — he's promised Nikki he'll behave with her sister. Grandma Rose is May's mother, who lives in San Francisco.
Anderson's group accept…
…descendants of Greek gods' and those from the lineages of other pantheons. Their mission statement, if you will, is that they should use their powers to make the world a better place.
Anderson Kane is a minor god descended from Thanatos and Alecto (Death and Vengeance) and he heads up this "cult" of the descendants of gods. The other members of his household believe that he is like them — Liberi Deorum . Children of the gods. He's a reasonable man until anger heats him up, and only Nikki and Konstantin know the truth. A truth Anderson is quite vehement be kept secret. Other members of the household include Maggie (Zeus through Hercules); Jamaal (Kali) has death magic that he channels into Sita, a humongous — and jealous — tiger; Logan Fields (Tyr); Jack Gillespie (Loki) tricks everyone; and, Leo (Hermes), a recluse and the financial wizard for the group.
The Olympians are…
…only descended of the Greek gods, and they have made a habit of killing any others. Konstantin (Helios) no longer leads the Olympians; he was forced to step down. His son, Cyrus (Helios), has taken over, leading all to hope for a kinder, gentler opposition with no more slaughtering of whole families of Descendants. Mark is Cyrus' Descendant bodyguard.
Emma Poindexter (Nyx) was Kane's insanely jealous bitch of a wife, who had been hidden in a pond by the Olympians where she spent 10 years drowning over and over — except for the occasions when Konstantin pulled her out to abuse her. Rescued by her own, she turns on them and decamps back to her abusers, although she can't resist torturing Anderson and Nikki. Christina is a new Liberi, transformed with Emma's help.
Erin was a healer and a descendant of Apollo who helped Nikki get over the enhanced rabies in Deadly Descendant . Dr. Prakash is the curator of an exhibit of Indian artwork Nikki uses to draw Jamaal out. Detective Taylor investigates Nikki's kidnapping.
A Descendant is the offspring of gods and becomes a Liberi, a Descendant, by killing a Liberi.
The Cover and Title
The cover is green, green, green with a green haze over the woods that make up the background and over Jamal's conjured-up tiger while Nikki is in black leather pants and a corset-style top, a gun held across her body. It's too bad Nikki hasn't read the tagline on the cover…
I'm guessing that Rogue Descendant refers to Konstantin as he's the only blackguard obviously running about.
December 9, 2016
Oh yes. The pages, they still keep turning.
April 28, 2013
Originally posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek
The perfect description for “Rogue Descendant” is slow burn. The story takes its time, but it is never boring. Nikki and the entire Descendant world are reeling from the aftermath of “Deadly Descendant.” Konstantin is no longer leading the Olympians, Emma has switched sides and Nikki seems to be on everyone’s hit list. To make matters worse, Jamaal and Nikki are still on the outs as Jamaal is still unwilling to come to terms with his feelings for Nikki. Part one of this book is definitely the emotional aftermath.
Then it all blows up. There is arson, kidnapping, taunting emails and the ever-traumatizing immortal being buried alive. We also get to see deeper into our main characters. Jamaal works hard to channel his death magic, which leads to close calls with members of the house and one over protective tiger. We finally get to meet the Glasses, the family that took Nikki in as a teenager. Most importantly, we get a closer look at the rage of Anderson.
I know that Jamaal is Nikki’s love interest and that he is the one she has her heart set on, but I cannot shake Anderson. The leader of the anti-Olympian group is not really a nice guy. He is more of the lesser or two evils. He if vengeful, violent and way too honest for his own good. He is brutal and though he is ancient he always dresses like he rolled out of bed. Still, he intrigues me. I want to know everything about him. Like why he keeps his true nature a secret and what he is running from. I also want to know if he senses his chemistry with Nikki, since she seems to be blind to it.
This book really brought home how much I love the characters and how amazing Jenna Black is with characterization. We see several sides of many characters. Vulnerability, rage, manipulation, etc. It is always intriguing to read a book where you don’t know who to trust. Cyrus is an Olympian, but he seems sincere. Anderson is the leader of the good guys, but he has a frightening taste for revenge. On and on it goes, especially when it comes to Nikki. Nikki is one bad ass chick, the immortal descendant of a goddess and still she worries about the love and acceptance of her family. I was so happy to meet the Glasses and see Nikki interact with them. It really shows how broken Nikki is that after all these years and the evidence that they love her, she still cannot see them as hers.
My only real complaint about this book is Jamaal. I understand his angst, his fears and his reservations, but at times I just wanted to slap him. There are moments where extremely traumatizing events happen to Nikki and within a page or so Jamaal has turned the ordeal into an issue with him. I like my heroines to be assertive, but I do not want them begging for the love and attention of some guy. Ok, begging might be too strong of a word, but I can never shake the feeling that Nikki does all the work in this relationship. She approaches him and she makes the first move. This makes this relationship unequal to me and it gives Jamaal all the power. Jamaal has lived so long that I am starting to believe that he is not better at control, because he does not want to be.
My last word is to say that no matter how you feel about this book while you are reading, you must finish it. I am aware that not everyone has the same taste as me, so if on the odd chance you are reading this book and you are not enjoying it, stick with it until the very end. The ending leaves it in not so much a cliffhanger, but a call to action. The last few pages of this book are a game changer. It is entertaining, action packed and explosive. The ending put me on edge, because I realize this series is about so much more than I realized. Everything is about to change.
If you like action, urban fantasy and a kick ass heroine, this series is for you. It has a mythology twist that makes it unique. Urban Fantasy really needs a unique twist and I like the idea that there are Gods and Goddesses and those beings had children.
Recommended for fans of the Nikki Glass series, people who like mythlogy and readers of Urban Fantasy novels.
May 1, 2013
I'm tired of the cock blocking. TIRED!
And now there's a possibility of a love triangle? Ugh.
And now there's a possibility of a love triangle? Ugh.
May 3, 2013
I am dying yet again!!! Jenna Black gave us a cliffhanger ending without it being a cliffhanger in the true sense. I thought that maybe I should not read it so soon, but did I listen? No!! Now I will suffer till the next book comes out. And there has to be another book, with an ending like that, there can’t not be a book 4.
We are back in Nikki’s world and this time, in the beginning at least, things seem to be slightly calmer than the last book. But that calm did not last for long. Somebody is setting fires to houses that either belong to Nikki or to people she cares about. There is someone who takes responsibility for the arson but Nikki being a private detective, she knows that things are rarely ever that simple or convenient. She decides to investigate further. Meanwhile Anderson is trying to pressure her into looking for Konstantine and she’s actively trying to refuse. However certain unforeseen circumstances force her to change her mind. Cyrus is now the leader of the Olypians and he seems to be making an effort to run the Olympians in a manner different from his father’s. Then there’s Nikki’s not-relationship with Jamaal. Seriously, for every one step forward, she ends up taking three steps back. The guy has built adamantium walls around him and refuses to let anyone through. In the last book, he and Nikki did seem to make some progress in the right direction, in this book, not so much. Rogue Descendant had a very single minded plot that did not deviate so we got to see very few descendants from Nikki’s camp.
Nikki is still awesome and I love her sarcasm and her wise-ass comments. But this time around she seemed a little pulled-down to me. She seemed to still be recovering from the events of the last book and of course, once things started to go downhill this time, yet again, she didn’t have time to breathe. She’s still trying to figure out how her power works and she does make some headway where that is concerned. But for a large part, the use of her powers are based on instinct. Another reason I really like her, is that she doesn’t get cowed down or let herself bullied. She is terrified of Anderson after that little display of his true power and yet she still stands up to him when she disagrees with him. And she’s rational when others are too busy losing their heads to their emotions.
As for the male leads, this time around, there seemed to be a bit of conflict. We saw a lot more of Anderson than Jamaal. In Rogue, more than the other two books, it was very apparent that what we see of Anderson on the surface is a very carefully constructed façade. And though there were times when you begin to wonder is he really is a good guy, those times don’t last long. We got a deeper look into his psyche and it did seem to answer some questions about him (though not too many)
Then there was Jamaal. He has the whole brooding thing down pat. He’s made it into an art form. I get that he had a very tough life before he became a Descendant and that he still struggles with both, his scars and the death magic, but come on already!!! Seriously he’s throwing himself one hell of a pity party and its getting old. Its hard to see Nikki trying to get him to come out of his shell and for him to just retreat deeper and shut the door in her face. There were times in this book when she really needed him and he wasn’t around her (or at least he couldn’t stick around for long)
Another character we saw a lot of in Rogue Descendant was Cyrus, son of Konstantine, the newly crowned king of the Olympians. In the beginning he was kinda hard to pin down but the more I read, I realised, not really. He seems like a completely different person from his father. He seems like a nice guy, funny, considerate and someone you could even be friends with. Well it was all of those things that screamed ROTTEN EGG to me. He tried too hard and that more than anything made me not trust him. To be honest, I can’t even say I liked it (even momentarily) I don’t get what Blake saw in him.
Like I said earlier, we didn’t really meet any of the other Descendants. There were only glimpses. Steph was still around but this time, I got a feeling that maybe Nikki and her sister were drifting apart a little, I sincerely hope I’m wrong. I really like Steph and it would suck if for some reason the two of them were no longer close. I think now more than ever, Nikki needs her. We also met their parents this time and that was nice. It was interesting to see Nikki’s interaction with them. They love and accept her for who she is and the way she is. But it’s sad that the neglect she suffered as a child, keeps her from really letting them in.
For those of you wondering if you should read Rogue Descendant, you definitely should. It’s a little slow in parts but never dull and the climax pays off big time. Although, it might be a good idea to wait till you at least have some news of the fourth book. If not, you’ll be left feeling more than a little miserable like me, because this book is over and so far no news of the next book. We’ll probably have to wait to till next year anyway. Still, a thoroughly engrossing read!
We are back in Nikki’s world and this time, in the beginning at least, things seem to be slightly calmer than the last book. But that calm did not last for long. Somebody is setting fires to houses that either belong to Nikki or to people she cares about. There is someone who takes responsibility for the arson but Nikki being a private detective, she knows that things are rarely ever that simple or convenient. She decides to investigate further. Meanwhile Anderson is trying to pressure her into looking for Konstantine and she’s actively trying to refuse. However certain unforeseen circumstances force her to change her mind. Cyrus is now the leader of the Olypians and he seems to be making an effort to run the Olympians in a manner different from his father’s. Then there’s Nikki’s not-relationship with Jamaal. Seriously, for every one step forward, she ends up taking three steps back. The guy has built adamantium walls around him and refuses to let anyone through. In the last book, he and Nikki did seem to make some progress in the right direction, in this book, not so much. Rogue Descendant had a very single minded plot that did not deviate so we got to see very few descendants from Nikki’s camp.
Nikki is still awesome and I love her sarcasm and her wise-ass comments. But this time around she seemed a little pulled-down to me. She seemed to still be recovering from the events of the last book and of course, once things started to go downhill this time, yet again, she didn’t have time to breathe. She’s still trying to figure out how her power works and she does make some headway where that is concerned. But for a large part, the use of her powers are based on instinct. Another reason I really like her, is that she doesn’t get cowed down or let herself bullied. She is terrified of Anderson after that little display of his true power and yet she still stands up to him when she disagrees with him. And she’s rational when others are too busy losing their heads to their emotions.
As for the male leads, this time around, there seemed to be a bit of conflict. We saw a lot more of Anderson than Jamaal. In Rogue, more than the other two books, it was very apparent that what we see of Anderson on the surface is a very carefully constructed façade. And though there were times when you begin to wonder is he really is a good guy, those times don’t last long. We got a deeper look into his psyche and it did seem to answer some questions about him (though not too many)
Then there was Jamaal. He has the whole brooding thing down pat. He’s made it into an art form. I get that he had a very tough life before he became a Descendant and that he still struggles with both, his scars and the death magic, but come on already!!! Seriously he’s throwing himself one hell of a pity party and its getting old. Its hard to see Nikki trying to get him to come out of his shell and for him to just retreat deeper and shut the door in her face. There were times in this book when she really needed him and he wasn’t around her (or at least he couldn’t stick around for long)
Another character we saw a lot of in Rogue Descendant was Cyrus, son of Konstantine, the newly crowned king of the Olympians. In the beginning he was kinda hard to pin down but the more I read, I realised, not really. He seems like a completely different person from his father. He seems like a nice guy, funny, considerate and someone you could even be friends with. Well it was all of those things that screamed ROTTEN EGG to me. He tried too hard and that more than anything made me not trust him. To be honest, I can’t even say I liked it (even momentarily) I don’t get what Blake saw in him.
Like I said earlier, we didn’t really meet any of the other Descendants. There were only glimpses. Steph was still around but this time, I got a feeling that maybe Nikki and her sister were drifting apart a little, I sincerely hope I’m wrong. I really like Steph and it would suck if for some reason the two of them were no longer close. I think now more than ever, Nikki needs her. We also met their parents this time and that was nice. It was interesting to see Nikki’s interaction with them. They love and accept her for who she is and the way she is. But it’s sad that the neglect she suffered as a child, keeps her from really letting them in.
For those of you wondering if you should read Rogue Descendant, you definitely should. It’s a little slow in parts but never dull and the climax pays off big time. Although, it might be a good idea to wait till you at least have some news of the fourth book. If not, you’ll be left feeling more than a little miserable like me, because this book is over and so far no news of the next book. We’ll probably have to wait to till next year anyway. Still, a thoroughly engrossing read!
February 12, 2017
June 2013: 4 stars
June 2016: 3.25 stars
So I liked this better than the last book, but I can’t figure out why I had liked this so much the first time I read it. Someone was threatening the people Nikki loved, and she was trying to figure out who since there were a few suspects. Usually the mystery is the best part of the books, but Nikki and Anderson didn’t respond the way I would have expected. They were too intent on focusing on the obvious instead of focusing on alternative possibilities.
This book was plagued by the same problems in the last two books. The side characters had little to no development. Most of them barely had any page time. Nikki didn’t like anyone except Jamaal although he is still a jerk. I don’t understand why she likes him. Almost every other man in the series including her enemies were vastly more interesting than Jamaal.
That was one hell of a cliffhanger at the end. It does make me question Anderson’s intelligence. He should have expected something like that would happen if he acted the way he did. Anyway I will read the next book, but I’m not looking forward to it like I was when I originally read this.
June 2016: 3.25 stars
So I liked this better than the last book, but I can’t figure out why I had liked this so much the first time I read it. Someone was threatening the people Nikki loved, and she was trying to figure out who since there were a few suspects. Usually the mystery is the best part of the books, but Nikki and Anderson didn’t respond the way I would have expected. They were too intent on focusing on the obvious instead of focusing on alternative possibilities.
This book was plagued by the same problems in the last two books. The side characters had little to no development. Most of them barely had any page time. Nikki didn’t like anyone except Jamaal although he is still a jerk. I don’t understand why she likes him. Almost every other man in the series including her enemies were vastly more interesting than Jamaal.
That was one hell of a cliffhanger at the end. It does make me question Anderson’s intelligence. He should have expected something like that would happen if he acted the way he did. Anyway I will read the next book, but I’m not looking forward to it like I was when I originally read this.
December 18, 2016
My favourite so far. Read it through really quickly too. Book 4....
November 6, 2013
This book was so disappointing.
Firstly, I didn't like the writing. I don't know whether it was me or whether the writing actually changed, but I found the standard writing unsatisfactory. This novel was in first person. But I felt like the main character just kept on talking about herself and her feelings. There was no showing, only telling.
It got to the point where it was like she would talk about herself for paragraphs for example, like I am such a bleeding heart. And then get to the point. Most of the writing felt like filler. Like it was only put in so to make it into novel-length.
Secondly, the main character, Nikki Glass. I found her annoying and hypocritical, to say the least. She has no logic. She is unwilling to hunt down Konstantin. Because her conscience couldn't survive it. So she is willing to let a murderer, rapist and a man who thrives on torture go free. So that he can go and hurt other innocent people. Which he did, by the way. And all through this, we kept hearing how much of a bleeding heart she was, because God forbid she hunt down a man for revenge. Well how about for justice and for the protection of the society, Ms Intelligent?
Thirdly, the novel it self was unsatisfactory. I believe this is the last book in the series. If it is, then very little is resolved. Nothing much is resolved with Jamal or Anderson or Cyprus... We, as readers, don't get a sense of where she will be headed towards the future.
So overall, very unsatisfactory.
Also, what's up with the men in her life hurting her (Jamal) or threatening to hurt her (Anderson)?
Firstly, I didn't like the writing. I don't know whether it was me or whether the writing actually changed, but I found the standard writing unsatisfactory. This novel was in first person. But I felt like the main character just kept on talking about herself and her feelings. There was no showing, only telling.
It got to the point where it was like she would talk about herself for paragraphs for example, like I am such a bleeding heart. And then get to the point. Most of the writing felt like filler. Like it was only put in so to make it into novel-length.
Secondly, the main character, Nikki Glass. I found her annoying and hypocritical, to say the least. She has no logic. She is unwilling to hunt down Konstantin. Because her conscience couldn't survive it. So she is willing to let a murderer, rapist and a man who thrives on torture go free. So that he can go and hurt other innocent people. Which he did, by the way. And all through this, we kept hearing how much of a bleeding heart she was, because God forbid she hunt down a man for revenge. Well how about for justice and for the protection of the society, Ms Intelligent?
Thirdly, the novel it self was unsatisfactory. I believe this is the last book in the series. If it is, then very little is resolved. Nothing much is resolved with Jamal or Anderson or Cyprus... We, as readers, don't get a sense of where she will be headed towards the future.
So overall, very unsatisfactory.
Also, what's up with the men in her life hurting her (Jamal) or threatening to hurt her (Anderson)?
May 2, 2013
Oh boy..
Felt like every book takes me on a different ride.
First it was interesting.
Second was exciting.
And this third? Frustrating.
The romance is just blah.
The storyline is blah.
Ok.
To be honest, to me...
Everything is blah!
I hope Nikki will just move on from Jamaal.
I mean.. twice?
I don't see it as a challenge.
I see it as time to move on.
Because seriously??
Nikki deserve better.
Felt like every book takes me on a different ride.
First it was interesting.
Second was exciting.
And this third? Frustrating.
The romance is just blah.
The storyline is blah.
Ok.
To be honest, to me...
Everything is blah!
I hope Nikki will just move on from Jamaal.
I mean.. twice?
I don't see it as a challenge.
I see it as time to move on.
Because seriously??
Nikki deserve better.
June 15, 2013
The Nitty Gritty: Anderson Kane has had enough. He wants Konstantin dead and he is going to use Nikki to find him. She is a huntress after all. Too bad Nikki has a thing about being a instrument of death.
Nikki tries to keep out of the hunting business, that is until her adoptive parent's house is burned down. Still she resists hunting the man that orchstated the rape kidnapping and rape of her sister, until he sets fire to her condo and kills three innocent people in the process. With their blood on her hands Nikki agrees to hunt down Konstantin, but is she just playing right into his hands?
Opening Line: "It's time Nikki," Anderson said.
What's the 411: I'm still waiting for the magic. Not literal Harry Potter magic, but I am just waiting for something. I just don't understand why these aren't adult demigods. I mean to me that would make for more exciting books than just a descendant of Artemis being tasked with finding the person that burnt down her condo. I've seen more excitement on Dr. Phil, certainly Jerry Springer can put together a better show.
Nikki is the descendant of a mythical huntress and she couldn't find north of her life depended on it. I mean come on Thalia Grace could teach her and thing or two about being a huntress.
The world building in this series is really starting to bug me. The opening blurb talks about the ancient gods giving their children seeds from the Tree of Life. But in this series we have Norse, Egyptian, and Greek descendants running around. If I'm not mistaken only Norse mythology has a tree of life. So is Black trying to imply that all the gods are the same? If they are all the same where did the Olympians get their attitudes from? And why are there multiply mythologies mixing in this book? And if the blood lines don't mix then how did they all come about?
I'm just really confused about this. Black seems to be in no hurry to explain herself as Anderson doesn't bother to make appearances till he wants something from Nikki. And Nikki herself never seeks him out for advice, instruction or just to give him a smile. I am sure the son of a fury could use a pick me up every now and then.
The Good: I can't really say there is much about this book that I found good. Well no I take that back. Emma dying was the best thing about this book. I didn't care for her in the first book, I grew to hate her in the second book and this book put the final nail in her coffin for me. Her death was the highlight of the book.
Well that and the fact that Sita hates Nikki and she spoiled the second attempt at a Jamal sexual encounter for Nikki. I will admit that I literally laughed out loud during that scene. Her love life is one more bad date away from being worse than mine. And that is saying something.
The Bad: For 307 pages this book had very little going on. I mean we get a condo burning down, a house burning down and then someone strangles Emma (thank you for that) and Nikki dies again. That's about it. Just not seeing how that takes 307 pages. Well Black did fill that space with Nikkie whining about not wanting to hunt Konstantin because she wasn't a killer. Give me a break honey.
I am so over her hang up about being a foster child. I mean seriously how many times in a day does a foster kid who was adopted by a good family think about when they were a foster kid? She still refers to the Glasses as Stephs parents which is really starting to get on my nerves. These people opened up their home and their hearts to a child that wasn't their own. They treated her like she was their daughter and she can't even give them enough to call them 'my mom and dad' its always Steph's mom and dad. That is beyond disrespectful. And what's worse they gave Nikki money and she won't spend it. They took their own hard earned money and gave it to her so she could have a better life and she won't spend it. They gave her a condo free and clear and she pays them rent. Why? Because she is stupid and still living her life like a foster kid. And she has the never to try and save someone else from their problems. Hello girlfriend fix yourself first before you try and save someone else.
Nikki's attitude that she alone can fix all the broken people in the Libri house is the most annoying thing about her. Jamal clearly wants to be left alone to work out his own demons but Nikki just won't take a hint. What's worse is that she refuses to understand where he is coming from. I think Black making Jamal a formal slave and then not fully understanding the dynamics of slavery and its impact on Black America was a mistake. No I am not saying that non black authors can't write black characters, but what I am saying is that you just cant write a minority character and just say 'oh well' when cultural clashes come up.
I'm not even sure Black understands the struggles that Jamal is going through with trying to have a funtioning sexual relationship with Nikki. I mean Nikki thinks is hot to touch Jamal's scars during sex. She knows he hates that but she keeps doing it! And then she gets all upset when he stops right before they have sex! Girl it is not that hard to keep your hands off the man during sex. Puhlease.
Well its Book 3 and still Nikki has no idea what she is doing as regards to being a huntress. I mean how hard is it to goggle Artemis? She has never just sat down and explored what it means to be a huntress. So she just relies on dumb luck to get her through things. Everyone thinks she is this great hunter and even fight to get on her good side and for 3 books she's done nothing more than zone out and get a feeling about something.
As being the herione of the series I am finding Nikki seriously lacking. I mean Dorothy Gale put up a better fight than Nikki has given us. Being a self proclaimed bleeding heart is one thing, but just sitting back and allowing a vicious dog like Konstantin the pleasure of roaming the earth because vengeance is wrong just make my balls itch. And I am a bonafide female.
There is a different between vengeance and justice is a fine line for sure, but Konstantin has never been innocent and he had never been called to task for any of his misdeeds. Its seems like to me Nikki thinks someone has to be caught in the act of doing something bad to be guilty of being bad. Her sister was raped and beaten yet she had a conflict about Anderson killing the man. I call BS on that. If a guy looked at my sister wrong I would rip his head off let alone rape her. I would have killed him myself and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The characters haven't changed from Book 1. There isn't any growth going on. Everyone is still the same. Sure Jamal is more on a even keel but that is about it. Nikki is still blissfully ignorant to the cruelty of others. Anderson is still too cock sure to be true. Blake is..I'm not even sure what Blake is. In the first book Black made him out to be a sex god sort of player and then she clipped his wings by handcuffing him to Steph thus neutering him or any other really good side plot she could have written for him. I do like that his has history with Cyrus, but she never goes into that.
Where the hell is the mythology in this book!!?? I mean is it just me? Being a fan of Percy Jackson and the Olympians I will freely admit that I love mythology and I was expecting this book to be chocked full of it. I am still waiting for it. I mean Emma was a descendant of Nyx and all she could do was turn the lights out? And what are the Olympians doing? I mean what do they do all day? What do the Libri do all day? What the hell is their purpose in life. I mean hell Percy and his friends couldn't even drive and they were saving the world left and right. I mean we got Blake in his room knitting sweaters, Leo or whoever in his room checking the stock market. What the hell?
I mean I can't call it. Its a book about the descendants of mythological gods and goddess and the most magical thing in the book is a jealous tiger.
Final Thought: Ok I've given this series three books and it has gone absolutely nowhere and I am getting off the ride.
Nikki tries to keep out of the hunting business, that is until her adoptive parent's house is burned down. Still she resists hunting the man that orchstated the rape kidnapping and rape of her sister, until he sets fire to her condo and kills three innocent people in the process. With their blood on her hands Nikki agrees to hunt down Konstantin, but is she just playing right into his hands?
Opening Line: "It's time Nikki," Anderson said.
What's the 411: I'm still waiting for the magic. Not literal Harry Potter magic, but I am just waiting for something. I just don't understand why these aren't adult demigods. I mean to me that would make for more exciting books than just a descendant of Artemis being tasked with finding the person that burnt down her condo. I've seen more excitement on Dr. Phil, certainly Jerry Springer can put together a better show.
Nikki is the descendant of a mythical huntress and she couldn't find north of her life depended on it. I mean come on Thalia Grace could teach her and thing or two about being a huntress.
The world building in this series is really starting to bug me. The opening blurb talks about the ancient gods giving their children seeds from the Tree of Life. But in this series we have Norse, Egyptian, and Greek descendants running around. If I'm not mistaken only Norse mythology has a tree of life. So is Black trying to imply that all the gods are the same? If they are all the same where did the Olympians get their attitudes from? And why are there multiply mythologies mixing in this book? And if the blood lines don't mix then how did they all come about?
I'm just really confused about this. Black seems to be in no hurry to explain herself as Anderson doesn't bother to make appearances till he wants something from Nikki. And Nikki herself never seeks him out for advice, instruction or just to give him a smile. I am sure the son of a fury could use a pick me up every now and then.
The Good: I can't really say there is much about this book that I found good. Well no I take that back. Emma dying was the best thing about this book. I didn't care for her in the first book, I grew to hate her in the second book and this book put the final nail in her coffin for me. Her death was the highlight of the book.
Well that and the fact that Sita hates Nikki and she spoiled the second attempt at a Jamal sexual encounter for Nikki. I will admit that I literally laughed out loud during that scene. Her love life is one more bad date away from being worse than mine. And that is saying something.
The Bad: For 307 pages this book had very little going on. I mean we get a condo burning down, a house burning down and then someone strangles Emma (thank you for that) and Nikki dies again. That's about it. Just not seeing how that takes 307 pages. Well Black did fill that space with Nikkie whining about not wanting to hunt Konstantin because she wasn't a killer. Give me a break honey.
I am so over her hang up about being a foster child. I mean seriously how many times in a day does a foster kid who was adopted by a good family think about when they were a foster kid? She still refers to the Glasses as Stephs parents which is really starting to get on my nerves. These people opened up their home and their hearts to a child that wasn't their own. They treated her like she was their daughter and she can't even give them enough to call them 'my mom and dad' its always Steph's mom and dad. That is beyond disrespectful. And what's worse they gave Nikki money and she won't spend it. They took their own hard earned money and gave it to her so she could have a better life and she won't spend it. They gave her a condo free and clear and she pays them rent. Why? Because she is stupid and still living her life like a foster kid. And she has the never to try and save someone else from their problems. Hello girlfriend fix yourself first before you try and save someone else.
Nikki's attitude that she alone can fix all the broken people in the Libri house is the most annoying thing about her. Jamal clearly wants to be left alone to work out his own demons but Nikki just won't take a hint. What's worse is that she refuses to understand where he is coming from. I think Black making Jamal a formal slave and then not fully understanding the dynamics of slavery and its impact on Black America was a mistake. No I am not saying that non black authors can't write black characters, but what I am saying is that you just cant write a minority character and just say 'oh well' when cultural clashes come up.
I'm not even sure Black understands the struggles that Jamal is going through with trying to have a funtioning sexual relationship with Nikki. I mean Nikki thinks is hot to touch Jamal's scars during sex. She knows he hates that but she keeps doing it! And then she gets all upset when he stops right before they have sex! Girl it is not that hard to keep your hands off the man during sex. Puhlease.
Well its Book 3 and still Nikki has no idea what she is doing as regards to being a huntress. I mean how hard is it to goggle Artemis? She has never just sat down and explored what it means to be a huntress. So she just relies on dumb luck to get her through things. Everyone thinks she is this great hunter and even fight to get on her good side and for 3 books she's done nothing more than zone out and get a feeling about something.
As being the herione of the series I am finding Nikki seriously lacking. I mean Dorothy Gale put up a better fight than Nikki has given us. Being a self proclaimed bleeding heart is one thing, but just sitting back and allowing a vicious dog like Konstantin the pleasure of roaming the earth because vengeance is wrong just make my balls itch. And I am a bonafide female.
There is a different between vengeance and justice is a fine line for sure, but Konstantin has never been innocent and he had never been called to task for any of his misdeeds. Its seems like to me Nikki thinks someone has to be caught in the act of doing something bad to be guilty of being bad. Her sister was raped and beaten yet she had a conflict about Anderson killing the man. I call BS on that. If a guy looked at my sister wrong I would rip his head off let alone rape her. I would have killed him myself and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The characters haven't changed from Book 1. There isn't any growth going on. Everyone is still the same. Sure Jamal is more on a even keel but that is about it. Nikki is still blissfully ignorant to the cruelty of others. Anderson is still too cock sure to be true. Blake is..I'm not even sure what Blake is. In the first book Black made him out to be a sex god sort of player and then she clipped his wings by handcuffing him to Steph thus neutering him or any other really good side plot she could have written for him. I do like that his has history with Cyrus, but she never goes into that.
Where the hell is the mythology in this book!!?? I mean is it just me? Being a fan of Percy Jackson and the Olympians I will freely admit that I love mythology and I was expecting this book to be chocked full of it. I am still waiting for it. I mean Emma was a descendant of Nyx and all she could do was turn the lights out? And what are the Olympians doing? I mean what do they do all day? What do the Libri do all day? What the hell is their purpose in life. I mean hell Percy and his friends couldn't even drive and they were saving the world left and right. I mean we got Blake in his room knitting sweaters, Leo or whoever in his room checking the stock market. What the hell?
I mean I can't call it. Its a book about the descendants of mythological gods and goddess and the most magical thing in the book is a jealous tiger.
Final Thought: Ok I've given this series three books and it has gone absolutely nowhere and I am getting off the ride.
December 31, 2015
I liked this every bit as much as I've liked the rest of the books in the series.
There's a bit less interaction with the other Liberi this time with the exception of Anderson and Jamal, but plenty of action as Nikki intially refuses Anderson's demand that she do a hunt for Konstantin in order to seek vengeance, but someone - and Nikki and Anderson disagree eho that could be - is targeting Nikki for their own vengeance against her. Nikki faces peril several times under very dire circumstances leading up to the big finish which is very scary exciting. I did have niggles early on about the schemes against Nikki, but I wasn't entirely right.
I can't remember why it took me so long to getting around to Rogue Descendants, but that's going to end up working in my favor in the long run because acccording to Black there's actually finally going to be a final book next Spring.
I did this in audio and thought that Amy Rubinate's peformance was good.
There's a bit less interaction with the other Liberi this time with the exception of Anderson and Jamal, but plenty of action as Nikki intially refuses Anderson's demand that she do a hunt for Konstantin in order to seek vengeance, but someone - and Nikki and Anderson disagree eho that could be - is targeting Nikki for their own vengeance against her. Nikki faces peril several times under very dire circumstances leading up to the big finish which is very scary exciting. I did have niggles early on about the schemes against Nikki, but I wasn't entirely right.
I can't remember why it took me so long to getting around to Rogue Descendants, but that's going to end up working in my favor in the long run because acccording to Black there's actually finally going to be a final book next Spring.
I did this in audio and thought that Amy Rubinate's peformance was good.
May 4, 2013
Oh Nikki, Nikki, Nikki. I wonder if I read you wrong in the past. I knew you had a difficult childhood, were thrown in an almost untenable position as a Descendant. But I never realized you could be such a bore. Nor so dumb.
Ok, I'll cut the sarcasm now. :) Nikki Glass 3 suffered from a lot, and I mean a lot, of soap-opera drama. The first half of the book (and possibly more) was spent in that kind of meaningless, high-school drama soap operas are made of. (The he loves me, he loves me not. The shall I do or shan't I. The woe me if...)
Toward the end, at last, we got some serious action. But nothing of it came out of the blue. I rolled my eyes at her surprise and sense of betrayal. Mostly I wanted to know where was the woman who worked as PI, the woman who wouldn't trust, and when she would come back. Because honestly I love the still human-minded Nikki. The stupid and naive one, not so much.
This "disappointment" led me to be hyper-sensitive to a few points, including the last e-mail by Konstantine which seemed to me too contrived (as a trick). (Oh yes, it's possible to set a program so the email will be send at a set date, but this bunch of people does not seem so tech-oriented and Konstantine never seemed that much ready to consider defeat.)
On the side, I am oh-so-ready to see Cyrus' ass seriously kicked to hell. He is more despicable than his father, because he doesn't own his actions. Douchebag.
Ok, I'll cut the sarcasm now. :) Nikki Glass 3 suffered from a lot, and I mean a lot, of soap-opera drama. The first half of the book (and possibly more) was spent in that kind of meaningless, high-school drama soap operas are made of. (The he loves me, he loves me not. The shall I do or shan't I. The woe me if...)
Toward the end, at last, we got some serious action. But nothing of it came out of the blue. I rolled my eyes at her surprise and sense of betrayal. Mostly I wanted to know where was the woman who worked as PI, the woman who wouldn't trust, and when she would come back. Because honestly I love the still human-minded Nikki. The stupid and naive one, not so much.
This "disappointment" led me to be hyper-sensitive to a few points, including the last e-mail by Konstantine which seemed to me too contrived (as a trick). (Oh yes, it's possible to set a program so the email will be send at a set date, but this bunch of people does not seem so tech-oriented and Konstantine never seemed that much ready to consider defeat.)
On the side, I am oh-so-ready to see Cyrus' ass seriously kicked to hell. He is more despicable than his father, because he doesn't own his actions. Douchebag.
May 2, 2013
Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2013/05/review-...
Favorite Quote: “You advising me to lie back and think of England?”
Nikki Glass has begun to acclimate to her new life as an immortal descendant of Artemis. Living in the mansion with the other Liberi’s, Nikki is slowly making it her home but finds herself clinging stubbornly to her humanity, especially when it comes to killing for revenge. And revenge is what Liberi leader Anderson wants. He orders Nikki to track the former head Olympian, Konstantin, but Konstantin’s son Cyrus had made it perfectly clear that any retribution against his father will be considered an act of war. A war the liberi have no hope of winning. When a series of mysterious fires propels Nikki towards Konstantin, she finds herself drawn into an intricate game of cat and mouse that could spell disaster for her and all those she loves.
Add in her attraction to death goddess descendant Jamaal and Nikki isn’t sure if being immortal will be enough to keep her alive this time around.
Rogue Descendant, the third book in Jenna Black’s Nikki Glass series, is an action packed urban fantasy based upon Greek mythology. Fast pacing, well plotted story lines, dry humor, and engaging characters will hook you into this entertaining world that Ms. Black has written.The world building is simplistic in its construction yet each layer we uncover reveals a twisting mass of lies and half truths that it rest upon.
Heavily character driven, what I really enjoy about this story is the machiavellian and unapologetic makeup of the cast. There are no clear cut good or bad guys in here. There are just degrees of separation. These are demi gods. Powerful and deadly, each has a story begging to be told. They may not want to kill you, but to protect their secrets, they will. Nikki is still having a hard time fitting in with them because of all this. New to her immortality, her Nikki’s tight hold on her humanity separates her from the fold. She still doesn’t feel any real tangible connection with this new family and the events in this book only continues to highlight that lack of connection.
Nikki is still dealing with Anderson’s insane wife Emma whose jealousy has hit epic proportions. Though, Emma may have a legit reason for her craziness. Especially when some information concerning Anderson is brought to Nikki’s attention. She is also on Konstantin’s hit list and finds herself wondering if she will soon need a spreadsheet to keep up with who wants her dead.
The romance is still in the beginning stages, we are given a much deeper look at Nikki’s ongoing crush on Jamaal-a death goddess descendant. Going from enemies to frenemies is a common enough trope but Ms. Black handles it well in allowing the relationship to move at its own pace through the series, though I felt their relationship consists of one step forward and three steps back. Jamaal is so damaged and is also having problems with his death magic not liking Nikki. He tries to stay away from her and for good reasons but she is convinced she can overcome anything to be with him. There are also more scenes that show Anderson’s interest in Nikki maybe more than work related, though no love triangle is presented.
Anderson is still my favorite character in here and I REALLY want him and Nikki to hook up. They have some great chemistry together. Anderson and Nikki spend a lot of page time together and grace us with even more information about Anderson’s past and his reasons for keeping his heredity a secret. I enjoyed seeing more of the other Liberis and of course, Cyrus. He’s the perfect anti hero. He does bad so good. I do wish we could get some insight into Steph and Blake’s relationship from their POVs and I really can’t WAIT to see how Cyrus reacts to that development.
Deception and betrayal all combine together to create a main conflict that keeps you wondering as you learn the villain’s reasons behind the fires. Nikki’s humanity plays a large part in the decisions she makes in here, which causes some very tense moments for her and Anderson. The ending does a 180, leaving you wide eyed in shock as you realise that once again, Ms. Black has pulled a fast one on you.
A few issues did keep me from 100% enjoying this story. Though all the elements are here for the perfect story, I did feel this particular installment seems to coast. Nikki is more indecisive and immature; especially in her dealings with Jamaal and her sister. Dialogue rules this installment with small amounts of action included. Also, some of the decisions made by her and Anderson were questionable. The storyline stalled at times and by the end, I realized the arc had not advanced all that much. This book felt like a bridge; especially with the “OMG cliffhanger moment” is announced at the end.
Regardless of these issues, I look forward to book four, title and release date to be announced.
Overall Rating: C+
Favorite Quote: “You advising me to lie back and think of England?”
Nikki Glass has begun to acclimate to her new life as an immortal descendant of Artemis. Living in the mansion with the other Liberi’s, Nikki is slowly making it her home but finds herself clinging stubbornly to her humanity, especially when it comes to killing for revenge. And revenge is what Liberi leader Anderson wants. He orders Nikki to track the former head Olympian, Konstantin, but Konstantin’s son Cyrus had made it perfectly clear that any retribution against his father will be considered an act of war. A war the liberi have no hope of winning. When a series of mysterious fires propels Nikki towards Konstantin, she finds herself drawn into an intricate game of cat and mouse that could spell disaster for her and all those she loves.
Add in her attraction to death goddess descendant Jamaal and Nikki isn’t sure if being immortal will be enough to keep her alive this time around.
Rogue Descendant, the third book in Jenna Black’s Nikki Glass series, is an action packed urban fantasy based upon Greek mythology. Fast pacing, well plotted story lines, dry humor, and engaging characters will hook you into this entertaining world that Ms. Black has written.The world building is simplistic in its construction yet each layer we uncover reveals a twisting mass of lies and half truths that it rest upon.
Heavily character driven, what I really enjoy about this story is the machiavellian and unapologetic makeup of the cast. There are no clear cut good or bad guys in here. There are just degrees of separation. These are demi gods. Powerful and deadly, each has a story begging to be told. They may not want to kill you, but to protect their secrets, they will. Nikki is still having a hard time fitting in with them because of all this. New to her immortality, her Nikki’s tight hold on her humanity separates her from the fold. She still doesn’t feel any real tangible connection with this new family and the events in this book only continues to highlight that lack of connection.
Nikki is still dealing with Anderson’s insane wife Emma whose jealousy has hit epic proportions. Though, Emma may have a legit reason for her craziness. Especially when some information concerning Anderson is brought to Nikki’s attention. She is also on Konstantin’s hit list and finds herself wondering if she will soon need a spreadsheet to keep up with who wants her dead.
The romance is still in the beginning stages, we are given a much deeper look at Nikki’s ongoing crush on Jamaal-a death goddess descendant. Going from enemies to frenemies is a common enough trope but Ms. Black handles it well in allowing the relationship to move at its own pace through the series, though I felt their relationship consists of one step forward and three steps back. Jamaal is so damaged and is also having problems with his death magic not liking Nikki. He tries to stay away from her and for good reasons but she is convinced she can overcome anything to be with him. There are also more scenes that show Anderson’s interest in Nikki maybe more than work related, though no love triangle is presented.
Anderson is still my favorite character in here and I REALLY want him and Nikki to hook up. They have some great chemistry together. Anderson and Nikki spend a lot of page time together and grace us with even more information about Anderson’s past and his reasons for keeping his heredity a secret. I enjoyed seeing more of the other Liberis and of course, Cyrus. He’s the perfect anti hero. He does bad so good. I do wish we could get some insight into Steph and Blake’s relationship from their POVs and I really can’t WAIT to see how Cyrus reacts to that development.
Deception and betrayal all combine together to create a main conflict that keeps you wondering as you learn the villain’s reasons behind the fires. Nikki’s humanity plays a large part in the decisions she makes in here, which causes some very tense moments for her and Anderson. The ending does a 180, leaving you wide eyed in shock as you realise that once again, Ms. Black has pulled a fast one on you.
A few issues did keep me from 100% enjoying this story. Though all the elements are here for the perfect story, I did feel this particular installment seems to coast. Nikki is more indecisive and immature; especially in her dealings with Jamaal and her sister. Dialogue rules this installment with small amounts of action included. Also, some of the decisions made by her and Anderson were questionable. The storyline stalled at times and by the end, I realized the arc had not advanced all that much. This book felt like a bridge; especially with the “OMG cliffhanger moment” is announced at the end.
Regardless of these issues, I look forward to book four, title and release date to be announced.
Overall Rating: C+
May 5, 2013
Nikki Glass's various residences - her family home, her condo, her office, all burn to the ground. Nikki must investigate all suspects - Emma, Konstantin, Cyrus, Anderson - in order to discover the true culprit.
Warning, spoilers ahead...
What I Liked:
The epilogue - The book had a steady pace and then had a killer epilogue. I have to wait a year for the next book? I don't know if I can!
Logan - I can never get enough of this character. An awesome badass - even in the kitchen.
Nikki - I like the fact that Nikki is still a "bleeding heart" and not driven by revenge. I felt for her when she had to turn her head as she bashed the culprit's head in - I would have had the same squeamishness.
Leo - Socially awkward but happy geeks unite! As he told Nikki, he is happy and doesn't want to be saved. I really enjoyed Leo and Logan's brief appearances in the book - it fleshed out their characters and showed off their skills.
Anderson - We find out more tidbits about his past. So, with the revelation will we see the return of the gods. I'm trying to think on who/what could threaten Anderson. He states that only one thing is able to kill him - possibly another god?
Emma - poor crazy bitch. She wasn't a likable character by any means but I felt sorry for her. Ten years with Konstantin and Alexi and the constant death an revivals would drive anyone insane.
Blake and Cyrus's relationship - Generally speaking, killing and enslaving all of your ex-lover's friends and families isn't the way to woo someone.
Jamal - I don't see a happy ending here. It's been heavily foreshadowed in the books that he is a ticking time bomb and Sita isn't helping the situation at all. I will say that the Nikki-Jamal-Sita the magically created tiger is one of the more unique triangles in urban fantasy. Add in Anderson for the quadrangle and Emma for the whatever shape follows.
What I hope to see in the future...
Nikki and Anderson - this is also been hinted at throughout the books. I'm ready for it. Let's see it - I don't think it's coincidence that all three books have ended with Nikki and Anderson dealing with the bad guys.
Blake and Stephanie decide to fully commit to each other. Cyrus would have a stroke!
More of Logan, Leo, Maggie, and Jack.
Warning, spoilers ahead...
What I Liked:
The epilogue - The book had a steady pace and then had a killer epilogue. I have to wait a year for the next book? I don't know if I can!
Logan - I can never get enough of this character. An awesome badass - even in the kitchen.
Nikki - I like the fact that Nikki is still a "bleeding heart" and not driven by revenge. I felt for her when she had to turn her head as she bashed the culprit's head in - I would have had the same squeamishness.
Leo - Socially awkward but happy geeks unite! As he told Nikki, he is happy and doesn't want to be saved. I really enjoyed Leo and Logan's brief appearances in the book - it fleshed out their characters and showed off their skills.
Anderson - We find out more tidbits about his past. So, with the revelation will we see the return of the gods. I'm trying to think on who/what could threaten Anderson. He states that only one thing is able to kill him - possibly another god?
Emma - poor crazy bitch. She wasn't a likable character by any means but I felt sorry for her. Ten years with Konstantin and Alexi and the constant death an revivals would drive anyone insane.
Blake and Cyrus's relationship - Generally speaking, killing and enslaving all of your ex-lover's friends and families isn't the way to woo someone.
Jamal - I don't see a happy ending here. It's been heavily foreshadowed in the books that he is a ticking time bomb and Sita isn't helping the situation at all. I will say that the Nikki-Jamal-Sita the magically created tiger is one of the more unique triangles in urban fantasy. Add in Anderson for the quadrangle and Emma for the whatever shape follows.
What I hope to see in the future...
Nikki and Anderson - this is also been hinted at throughout the books. I'm ready for it. Let's see it - I don't think it's coincidence that all three books have ended with Nikki and Anderson dealing with the bad guys.
Blake and Stephanie decide to fully commit to each other. Cyrus would have a stroke!
More of Logan, Leo, Maggie, and Jack.
May 4, 2013
Nikki is back. Someone is attacking Nikki where it hurts most, her family. Her first thought is Konstantin but then she starts thinking it might be Emma. Either way she has to figure it out and stop it before the attacks get worse.
Nikki is still navigating her new life. She considers the mansion home now and finds herself getting more comfortable but still misses how things use to be. We get a brief glimpse of how she is with her adoptive parents when they come home from their trip which was interesting. I continue to enjoy the mythology of the series and the characters are by far what makes the book. The romance, My gosh are Nikki and Jamaal frustrating. One step forward five steps back. The tiger and her feelings do not help. I know this isn't a romance novel but watching their slow tip toeing is driving me insane. I want to scream, "Just do it already". Now we do learn more about Jamaal and the reason for his issues but I still hope issues will be worked through in book 4 *fingers crossed*. There is not a romance with Anderson but we do learn about some feelings and he is still very much a mystery.
ROGUE DESCENDANT didn't have much of an adventurous plot. There was some action at points but it wasn't go, go, go like the other two books in the series. It is definitely a turning point as it ends with something big but it felt like more of a filler novel. I still liked ROGUE DESCENDANT and couldn't imagine not reading it but I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things with book 4.
Nikki is still navigating her new life. She considers the mansion home now and finds herself getting more comfortable but still misses how things use to be. We get a brief glimpse of how she is with her adoptive parents when they come home from their trip which was interesting. I continue to enjoy the mythology of the series and the characters are by far what makes the book. The romance, My gosh are Nikki and Jamaal frustrating. One step forward five steps back. The tiger and her feelings do not help. I know this isn't a romance novel but watching their slow tip toeing is driving me insane. I want to scream, "Just do it already". Now we do learn more about Jamaal and the reason for his issues but I still hope issues will be worked through in book 4 *fingers crossed*. There is not a romance with Anderson but we do learn about some feelings and he is still very much a mystery.
ROGUE DESCENDANT didn't have much of an adventurous plot. There was some action at points but it wasn't go, go, go like the other two books in the series. It is definitely a turning point as it ends with something big but it felt like more of a filler novel. I still liked ROGUE DESCENDANT and couldn't imagine not reading it but I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things with book 4.
June 25, 2013
A 3.5 for effort!
I know why some people are dissatisfied with this latest instalment, there was just no spark compared to the previous books. Don't get me wrong this was still a hell of a lot better than Joe Blogs but it felt as if it was more about building a background, like the author was setting up the scene for a forthcoming storyline and had built the plot around it.
In the first two books I liked Jamal despite his issues and I understood his motivation, but in this book I somehow ended up just feeling indifferent towards him, it was like he'd become a shell of himself.
I'd also started hoping something might develop with Anderson towards the end of the second book but again I felt like we'd somehow lost whatever connection had developed.
And unfortunately the majority of the other characters just felt like set dressing even Nikki seemed to show little growth, although she did show a little more emotionally.
Overall although I was less satisfied with this instalment I'd like to hope that this was more of a bridge novel to something exceptional. I will definitely be sticking with this series because although this wasn't brilliant I'm comparing it to her previous works which pretty much were, and it can be tough to compare yourself to, well yourself!
I know why some people are dissatisfied with this latest instalment, there was just no spark compared to the previous books. Don't get me wrong this was still a hell of a lot better than Joe Blogs but it felt as if it was more about building a background, like the author was setting up the scene for a forthcoming storyline and had built the plot around it.
In the first two books I liked Jamal despite his issues and I understood his motivation, but in this book I somehow ended up just feeling indifferent towards him, it was like he'd become a shell of himself.
I'd also started hoping something might develop with Anderson towards the end of the second book but again I felt like we'd somehow lost whatever connection had developed.
And unfortunately the majority of the other characters just felt like set dressing even Nikki seemed to show little growth, although she did show a little more emotionally.
Overall although I was less satisfied with this instalment I'd like to hope that this was more of a bridge novel to something exceptional. I will definitely be sticking with this series because although this wasn't brilliant I'm comparing it to her previous works which pretty much were, and it can be tough to compare yourself to, well yourself!
April 5, 2016
I really enjoyed the first couple books in this series, but for perhaps two-thirds of this one, I was alternately yawning and doing virtual facepalms. There was little action and far too much angst for much of the story. Most of it was Nikki's--insecurities about family, agonizing about whether or not to hunt Konstantin, her questionable relationship with Jamaal--but we also got to read about drama with Jamaal and Anderson.
In addition to the ongoing melodramas, Nikki and a couple other characters repeatedly did things that were downright stupid. I can forgive occasional mistakes, but Nikki wandered squarely into TSTL territory. That, combined with the generally whiny tone of much of the book greatly diminished my enjoyment of it.
But...and there is a but here. The story definitely picked up in that last third, and the ending promises some interesting problems in upcoming stories. So, despite my disappointment with some aspects of the story, I'll look forward to the next book. Let's hope that Nikki grows up and wises up a bit before then.
In addition to the ongoing melodramas, Nikki and a couple other characters repeatedly did things that were downright stupid. I can forgive occasional mistakes, but Nikki wandered squarely into TSTL territory. That, combined with the generally whiny tone of much of the book greatly diminished my enjoyment of it.
But...and there is a but here. The story definitely picked up in that last third, and the ending promises some interesting problems in upcoming stories. So, despite my disappointment with some aspects of the story, I'll look forward to the next book. Let's hope that Nikki grows up and wises up a bit before then.
June 5, 2017
Ok first I have to get this out of the way. The next book is the LAST!!!??? I feel like there is sooooo much more potential to this series and that 4 books aren't nearly enough. They aren't nearly enough for the relationship that Jamaal and Nikki sorta have or don't have to come to a conclusion. We need to delve deeper into Jamaal's history and into everyone's history. What is going to happen with Steph and Blake? And the other people in the rag tag gang. This can't possibly wrap up that quickly.
Ok. In this book Nikki has to hunt Konstaintin I'm sure I'm spelling his name wrong. She doesn't want to do it and initially refuses. Things happen and lead you in some directions but you really don't know where it's going to go. I was actually shocked by what happened or at least I was sorta shocked. I had a feeling something like what happened was going to happen but dismissed it and it totally happened. It was crazy.
Jamaal though needs to stop pushing Nikki away. It's super annoying but completely understandable at the same damn time. He totally wants her but has issues. I do wonder if he is ever going to be able to let her in. I really hope so. Clearly that doesn't happen in this book.
I think I'm going to hold off on the last book for a bit.
Ok. In this book Nikki has to hunt Konstaintin I'm sure I'm spelling his name wrong. She doesn't want to do it and initially refuses. Things happen and lead you in some directions but you really don't know where it's going to go. I was actually shocked by what happened or at least I was sorta shocked. I had a feeling something like what happened was going to happen but dismissed it and it totally happened. It was crazy.
Jamaal though needs to stop pushing Nikki away. It's super annoying but completely understandable at the same damn time. He totally wants her but has issues. I do wonder if he is ever going to be able to let her in. I really hope so. Clearly that doesn't happen in this book.
I think I'm going to hold off on the last book for a bit.
May 5, 2013
I really liked the book. While I did spend a majority of my time wanting to pull my hair out at the almost romance scenes, the rest kept me glued to my book. The story seemed to stall in places but for the most part, it had some teeth clenching parts.
I'm not going to lie I want Jamaal and Nikki to eventually get together. Preferably I would have loved to see them together already but it looks like we have some romantic suspense headed our way still. And they new inkling hinting at a love triangle, I think we are going to be kept on the edge of our seats.
But really, this series is one that I really I enjoy. Enough to reread whenever there is a new one out n the series or whenever I need a good series to break up whatever else I'm reading at the moment. There are very few mythology based urban fantasies out there I truly enjoy. I can't wait for what is next.
I'm not going to lie I want Jamaal and Nikki to eventually get together. Preferably I would have loved to see them together already but it looks like we have some romantic suspense headed our way still. And they new inkling hinting at a love triangle, I think we are going to be kept on the edge of our seats.
But really, this series is one that I really I enjoy. Enough to reread whenever there is a new one out n the series or whenever I need a good series to break up whatever else I'm reading at the moment. There are very few mythology based urban fantasies out there I truly enjoy. I can't wait for what is next.
June 10, 2013
PLEASE let there be a Book 4 after this!! Otherwise I may just die...whilst hanging off the edge of a big, fat cliffhanger.
I could really use a Death god to help me right now.
A little godly-mojo. Anything to make the next year go quicker so I can get my hands on the next piece of the Nikki Glass story ;)
I could really use a Death god to help me right now.
A little godly-mojo. Anything to make the next year go quicker so I can get my hands on the next piece of the Nikki Glass story ;)
July 17, 2016
If you've never read/listened to this series, I highly recommend you give it a try. Nikki is the descendant of a god, Artemis to be exact. Artemis is a moon goddess who can't miss what she is aiming at and is an excellent tracker. She is born mortal, but if she kills an immortal descendant, their immortality will pass to her. One such immortal, known as Liberi, commits suicide by jumping in front on Nikki's car. This kills him and give Nikki his immortality There are two groups of Liberi that we see throughout the series. Anderson's group, which consists of both Greek god descendants and descendants of other gods like Kali and Loki. There is also the Olympians, which consists only of greek gods. Their goal is to rid the world of Liberi from the other gods. Anderson's group has many more morals than the Olympians, which have next to none. Nikki is forced to join up with Anderson and his team. This will give you some background on the series.
In this book, Nikki is being tormented by either Konstantin, the former leader of the Olympians, or Emma, Anderson’s estranged wife who has joined the Olympians. The confessions of the torment claim to be Konstantin but don't appear to be his style. There is a lot of evidence that points to Emma as the culprit. Emma is convinced that Nikki is after her husband, which is not the case. We watch as Nikki works to uncover who is burning any building that is related to her. She is kidnapped and "killed", she gives the EMTs quite a scare when she returns from the dead. We see more interactions with Cyrus, Konstantin's son and the current leader of the Olympians. Nikki is also having complications of jealousy from Sita, a phantom tiger that belongs to Jammal, who Nikki is interested in.
I love this series and the characters. The world is extremely interesting in it's simplicity and the layers that are uncovered the more we learn. There is some romance, but it is barely blooming and in this book in particular, we see Nikki might be moving towards a love triangle with Anderson and Jaamal.
While this book is action packed, it still seems like a bridge to me for a bigger storyline to come. There is a pretty large cliffhanger at the end of this book that helps me to believe in the "bridge" aspect of this book as well.
I'm sure many of you know Sophie Eastlake, the narrator. She also does the most recent Chicagoland Vampires and all of the Elder Races series. She is a little bit flat in her narration when compared to some, but it works really well with the calm and collected Nikki Glass.
If you've haven't tried this series, I think you should really give it a shot. The first book is a little slow because there is a ton of character and world building, but book two is wonderful and this book is helping to build to something big coming in book four, I think.
Review originally posted at Hot Listens
Merged review:
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
The Nikki Glass series has quickly become a favorite of mine. It is such a unique world that Jenna Black has created with the descendants of gods that are nearly immortal known as Liberi. Nikki has joined this world when one of the Liberi jumps in front of her car committing suicide giving Nikki his immortality. Now, Nikki is thrust into this world which she knows nothing about. By book three, she is coming to terms with her new life, but is still hoping that one day, she can go back to her life as she knew it. She has yet to give up her office or her condo, though she has closed her office doors and is living with Anderson and his Liberi in their mansion.
The book starts off with a series of arsons, all of which are connected to Nikki. It starts with an accidental fire at her office, then her adopted parents’ house, then her condo, where people died. The former leader of the Olympians, Konstantin, sends an email claiming to be the culprit, but there are questions about that. Anderson’s ex-wife, Emma, also looks really suspicious. She has it out for Nikki, who she is convinced is trying to steal her husband. Nikki on the other hand is trying desperately to make things work with Jamaal.
Jamaal is a descendant of Kali and the death magic that he has is hard for him to contain. He learned in the previous book that he could channel some of the death magic into a phantom tiger, Kali’s animal, just like the descendant of Anubis did with jackals. However, his tiger, SIta, is very jealous of anyone who takes any attention away from her, so Nikki is on her hate list. Jamaal has a hard time controlling her when Nikki is around. This really puts the breaks on their relationship just when things were starting to move forward.
There is some action as Nikki is kidnapped twice and some romance between Jamaal and Nikki. We get to see a lot more of Cyrus, Konstantin’s son and the current leader of the Olympians. He has a lot more up his sleeve than he lets on. The overall story arc doesn’t progress as much as I would like and there is a cliffhanger at the end. I’m really glad that Ms. Black pushed to finish this series, even if it took a little longer than expected. I’m real excited to get to the next and final book in the series that comes out later this month.
Narration
Sophie Eastlake continues to do a great job with the narration. There is nothing overly complicated about this narration, no accents or anything, but the different voices are all clearly defined. I do listen at an increased speed, but that is pretty much a standard thing for me. She does good with male and female voices. I do know that the final book will be put on audio. So far, I haven’t heard anything about audio.
In this book, Nikki is being tormented by either Konstantin, the former leader of the Olympians, or Emma, Anderson’s estranged wife who has joined the Olympians. The confessions of the torment claim to be Konstantin but don't appear to be his style. There is a lot of evidence that points to Emma as the culprit. Emma is convinced that Nikki is after her husband, which is not the case. We watch as Nikki works to uncover who is burning any building that is related to her. She is kidnapped and "killed", she gives the EMTs quite a scare when she returns from the dead. We see more interactions with Cyrus, Konstantin's son and the current leader of the Olympians. Nikki is also having complications of jealousy from Sita, a phantom tiger that belongs to Jammal, who Nikki is interested in.
I love this series and the characters. The world is extremely interesting in it's simplicity and the layers that are uncovered the more we learn. There is some romance, but it is barely blooming and in this book in particular, we see Nikki might be moving towards a love triangle with Anderson and Jaamal.
While this book is action packed, it still seems like a bridge to me for a bigger storyline to come. There is a pretty large cliffhanger at the end of this book that helps me to believe in the "bridge" aspect of this book as well.
I'm sure many of you know Sophie Eastlake, the narrator. She also does the most recent Chicagoland Vampires and all of the Elder Races series. She is a little bit flat in her narration when compared to some, but it works really well with the calm and collected Nikki Glass.
If you've haven't tried this series, I think you should really give it a shot. The first book is a little slow because there is a ton of character and world building, but book two is wonderful and this book is helping to build to something big coming in book four, I think.
Review originally posted at Hot Listens
Merged review:
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
The Nikki Glass series has quickly become a favorite of mine. It is such a unique world that Jenna Black has created with the descendants of gods that are nearly immortal known as Liberi. Nikki has joined this world when one of the Liberi jumps in front of her car committing suicide giving Nikki his immortality. Now, Nikki is thrust into this world which she knows nothing about. By book three, she is coming to terms with her new life, but is still hoping that one day, she can go back to her life as she knew it. She has yet to give up her office or her condo, though she has closed her office doors and is living with Anderson and his Liberi in their mansion.
The book starts off with a series of arsons, all of which are connected to Nikki. It starts with an accidental fire at her office, then her adopted parents’ house, then her condo, where people died. The former leader of the Olympians, Konstantin, sends an email claiming to be the culprit, but there are questions about that. Anderson’s ex-wife, Emma, also looks really suspicious. She has it out for Nikki, who she is convinced is trying to steal her husband. Nikki on the other hand is trying desperately to make things work with Jamaal.
Jamaal is a descendant of Kali and the death magic that he has is hard for him to contain. He learned in the previous book that he could channel some of the death magic into a phantom tiger, Kali’s animal, just like the descendant of Anubis did with jackals. However, his tiger, SIta, is very jealous of anyone who takes any attention away from her, so Nikki is on her hate list. Jamaal has a hard time controlling her when Nikki is around. This really puts the breaks on their relationship just when things were starting to move forward.
There is some action as Nikki is kidnapped twice and some romance between Jamaal and Nikki. We get to see a lot more of Cyrus, Konstantin’s son and the current leader of the Olympians. He has a lot more up his sleeve than he lets on. The overall story arc doesn’t progress as much as I would like and there is a cliffhanger at the end. I’m really glad that Ms. Black pushed to finish this series, even if it took a little longer than expected. I’m real excited to get to the next and final book in the series that comes out later this month.
Narration
Sophie Eastlake continues to do a great job with the narration. There is nothing overly complicated about this narration, no accents or anything, but the different voices are all clearly defined. I do listen at an increased speed, but that is pretty much a standard thing for me. She does good with male and female voices. I do know that the final book will be put on audio. So far, I haven’t heard anything about audio.
December 16, 2012
Nikki is try to avoid Anderson because he wants her to track down Konstantin. Nikki is suffering from a case of the morals and refuses. That done Nikki finds herself with an enemy someone has burned down her condo and her family home and she needs to get to the bottom of it.
I am trying to decide if I think this book sucks or not. Here is what I disliked...why does Nikki insist on chasing Jamal? I am all for a willing partner in a seduction scene but this man clearly said no, if it tables were turned this would be called near rape no means no and Nikki needs to more on...that asideJamal is having the worlds longest pity party. The tiger Sia makes no sense to me, first offwhy would a magical creature be jealous, isn't jealousy a human emotion? Here what is really confusing tiger, let me disclose my mythology is rusty but wasn't Artemis the goddess of the hunt? Which would mean she can control wild animals?? As you can guess the tiger angle is not really working out for me. Moving on next question why does she hate Blake? I find it odd she is soooo sympathetic for the rest of the world but she cannot get past this guys gift? Meanwhile her sister seems happy with him, I get this is supposed to be protective but instead imo she comes off whinny and annoying. Speaking of side characters it seems like no one lives in the house but Anderson and Jamal, I mean we get a few glimpse of the other roommates but it felt like they were an after thought. Last but not least is Anderson, seems like he is doing a bit of a 180 and it was upsetting that he has no character growth. Honestly I think he is an interesting character . Last but not least are my issues with Nikki, she was really on the help me bandwagon. I have no idea why everyone wants her skills when she cannot use them and why hasn't she taken an interest in self defense?? Also why is she withdrawn from everyone? Maybe she needs a friend :-)
Ok so overall this book has zero character development and a very thin plot. What saved this book was JB's writing. To be honest I kept hoping on the next page action would begin never happened but the writing kept me intrigued.Plus she drew me in and while I was disappointed with all of my issues I was still into it. I will sum this up by saying this is a filler book but one that is VERY well written.
I am trying to decide if I think this book sucks or not. Here is what I disliked...why does Nikki insist on chasing Jamal? I am all for a willing partner in a seduction scene but this man clearly said no, if it tables were turned this would be called near rape no means no and Nikki needs to more on...that asideJamal is having the worlds longest pity party. The tiger Sia makes no sense to me, first offwhy would a magical creature be jealous, isn't jealousy a human emotion? Here what is really confusing tiger, let me disclose my mythology is rusty but wasn't Artemis the goddess of the hunt? Which would mean she can control wild animals?? As you can guess the tiger angle is not really working out for me. Moving on next question why does she hate Blake? I find it odd she is soooo sympathetic for the rest of the world but she cannot get past this guys gift? Meanwhile her sister seems happy with him, I get this is supposed to be protective but instead imo she comes off whinny and annoying. Speaking of side characters it seems like no one lives in the house but Anderson and Jamal, I mean we get a few glimpse of the other roommates but it felt like they were an after thought. Last but not least is Anderson, seems like he is doing a bit of a 180 and it was upsetting that he has no character growth. Honestly I think he is an interesting character . Last but not least are my issues with Nikki, she was really on the help me bandwagon. I have no idea why everyone wants her skills when she cannot use them and why hasn't she taken an interest in self defense?? Also why is she withdrawn from everyone? Maybe she needs a friend :-)
Ok so overall this book has zero character development and a very thin plot. What saved this book was JB's writing. To be honest I kept hoping on the next page action would begin never happened but the writing kept me intrigued.Plus she drew me in and while I was disappointed with all of my issues I was still into it. I will sum this up by saying this is a filler book but one that is VERY well written.
June 2, 2013
I hold out a lot of hope for this series because I am a huge fan of ancient mythology and this series deals heavily in that. The first two books in the series were good, the first being the best and the second book being decent. But this, the third book in this series was somewhat of a disappointment. When the epilogue is the best part of the book, there is definitely something wrong.
Urban fantasy series are usually more about the action, the plot, than the romance. Romance usually takes a backseat to everything else, but in this book the forced romance between Nikki and Jamaal felt like it was really taking the forefront. There was really, very little action until the end and every time I thought some kind of action packed sequence was going to start, nothing happened and we were immediately back to worrying about Jamaal, looking for Jamaal, thinking about Jamaal, flirting with Jamaal. There really is no chemistry between Jamaal and Nikki. But there is chemistry between Nikki and Anderson in spades and there are moments in this book that give me hope we may investigate that further in the next book.
I think one thing that could help this series is to give Nikki a PI case each book that she deals with on top of the crap going on with the Olympians and Liberi. This might get her out of her head, where we spent a lot of time during Rogue Descendant and into the action more. Up until now this has been a must buy/must read series for me. I’m looking forward to the next book because of the epilogue in this one, but if the next book is like this one, then I think I’m going to have to sadly be done with this series even if I don’t want to be. Too many books to read out there for me to be trapped into reading something that I just can’t get into.
Urban fantasy series are usually more about the action, the plot, than the romance. Romance usually takes a backseat to everything else, but in this book the forced romance between Nikki and Jamaal felt like it was really taking the forefront. There was really, very little action until the end and every time I thought some kind of action packed sequence was going to start, nothing happened and we were immediately back to worrying about Jamaal, looking for Jamaal, thinking about Jamaal, flirting with Jamaal. There really is no chemistry between Jamaal and Nikki. But there is chemistry between Nikki and Anderson in spades and there are moments in this book that give me hope we may investigate that further in the next book.
I think one thing that could help this series is to give Nikki a PI case each book that she deals with on top of the crap going on with the Olympians and Liberi. This might get her out of her head, where we spent a lot of time during Rogue Descendant and into the action more. Up until now this has been a must buy/must read series for me. I’m looking forward to the next book because of the epilogue in this one, but if the next book is like this one, then I think I’m going to have to sadly be done with this series even if I don’t want to be. Too many books to read out there for me to be trapped into reading something that I just can’t get into.
May 3, 2013
What it's about: This is the third novel in Jenna Black's Nikki Glass series and is just as fast-paced and action-filled as the first two. Jamaal is still fighting with/not being completely honest emotionally about Nikki. Anderson is just as hot (yeah, I always choose the wrong guys) and intriguing as ever, and readers get to take a look at Nikki's family. The ending also heralds a change for Nikki and those she loves, a battle cry for books to come, and I can't wait to grab book four!
Why you should read it: The book does take a bit longer to get into the story than the previous two, but the slow build-up is worth the action scenes. This is an urban fantasy novel all the way. In my true fashion, I'm still wanting Anderson and Nikki to at least "explore" their chemistry. He's ancient, he's hot, he is powerful … yum! For those of you waiting for Jamaal to finally step up, while there's emotional dialogue, I'm still left feeling that Nikki is the one bending and trying to bring in Jamaal rather than him working for her. I really loved this installment, even though it started off slow. I'm also really looking forward to the next book. Jenna Black has always been a deep and vivid writer.
To read what the author has to say check out the HEA Blog
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
Why you should read it: The book does take a bit longer to get into the story than the previous two, but the slow build-up is worth the action scenes. This is an urban fantasy novel all the way. In my true fashion, I'm still wanting Anderson and Nikki to at least "explore" their chemistry. He's ancient, he's hot, he is powerful … yum! For those of you waiting for Jamaal to finally step up, while there's emotional dialogue, I'm still left feeling that Nikki is the one bending and trying to bring in Jamaal rather than him working for her. I really loved this installment, even though it started off slow. I'm also really looking forward to the next book. Jenna Black has always been a deep and vivid writer.
To read what the author has to say check out the HEA Blog
http://www.usatoday.com/story/happyev...
May 14, 2013
One step forward, two steps back. I bought this book and read it within two hours of finishing book two, hoping that we'd see some progress on the Jamaal (or Anderson) front. Instead, we kind of ran around the Konstantin thing some more, Nikki got cockblocked by a tiger, and she continued stumbling about solving mysteries with "hunches." Am I the only one who finds that to be the least exciting way to solve a mystery ever? Just...hunches?
The suspense with the Anubis guy in the last book was much better. I never felt like Nikki or her family was really in danger in this book. There were fires, but we didn't see any of them, nor was Nikki in any real, immediate peril until the very end. (I didn't find the conveniently thwarted abduction attempt very compelling.)
Also, I'm pretty irritated by seemingly artificial attempts to drag out the thing with Jamaal. Just hook up or whatever. And in the meantime, how about we have the men lusting for Nikki stop with the violence, huh? Anderson and your throat-grabbing ways, I'm looking at you.
I'd snap up the fourth one if it was available, but if the series continues spinning its wheels, that would be the last one I'd read.
The suspense with the Anubis guy in the last book was much better. I never felt like Nikki or her family was really in danger in this book. There were fires, but we didn't see any of them, nor was Nikki in any real, immediate peril until the very end. (I didn't find the conveniently thwarted abduction attempt very compelling.)
Also, I'm pretty irritated by seemingly artificial attempts to drag out the thing with Jamaal. Just hook up or whatever. And in the meantime, how about we have the men lusting for Nikki stop with the violence, huh? Anderson and your throat-grabbing ways, I'm looking at you.
I'd snap up the fourth one if it was available, but if the series continues spinning its wheels, that would be the last one I'd read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2014
I must say the more of these I read the more disappointed I am with the entire series. The series is based on a good premise that could be really interesting. The problem though is that in this book in particular there is really no story. This book contained a bunch of scenes that seemed to be completely unrelated until you get to the end of the book where they are tied together in a way that is completely insane. As if the complete and utter lack of a logical, beliavble story was not bad enough the characters are completely unbelievable. Or rather most of them are unbelievable, but the main character is believable, only you don't want to see her succeed. She is completely stupid and whiny and the way that she thinks that the world revolves completely around her and makes the lives of the people around her miserable is believable. This is the personality of most of the girls in high school that we all wanted to see get what was coming to them. I will say that the premise intrigues me enough that I will try the next book in the series because the first two were not as bad as this one, but if there is no significant improvement then I won't be reading any more.
August 3, 2013
It's funny that I even finished this book. Every time I start reading Nikki Glass series I get overwhelmed by how boring it is. And I keep changing my mind the closer I get to the end. This time was no exception.
The cliffhanger wasn't a cliffhanger for me but finally a battle cry. The story is extremely slow and it's disappointing that characters aren't growing. It's like they've been stuck in a rut and there's no moving forward. I really expected of Nikki to get a hold of her powers but zilch. Guess waiting for book four.
And although Liberi all live together they act like complete strangers and for me that's baffling. I guess something will have to change in the next book because it's a pity that there is so little communication between them.
I wanted a story and all I got was babbling. Is Konstantin behind the attempts of murder or the psycho Emma? Is Anderson in love with her or not? Her constant chase of Jamal and so on and on and on.
I kept waiting for some action and I guess I'll have to wait 'till book four. Oh, well...
The cliffhanger wasn't a cliffhanger for me but finally a battle cry. The story is extremely slow and it's disappointing that characters aren't growing. It's like they've been stuck in a rut and there's no moving forward. I really expected of Nikki to get a hold of her powers but zilch. Guess waiting for book four.
And although Liberi all live together they act like complete strangers and for me that's baffling. I guess something will have to change in the next book because it's a pity that there is so little communication between them.
I wanted a story and all I got was babbling. Is Konstantin behind the attempts of murder or the psycho Emma? Is Anderson in love with her or not? Her constant chase of Jamal and so on and on and on.
I kept waiting for some action and I guess I'll have to wait 'till book four. Oh, well...
July 14, 2015
There was absolutely nothing in the plot of this one that surprised me.
It also got a little redundant at how many times we were told that Nikki's powers are mercurial (that is the word Ms Black loves to use), or how they only work if the moon is out.
The other Libere were non existent. Yeah, we got so see more of Leo the computer geek son of Hermes, but we didn't see anything of Jack the Loki child.
I will read the next one when it comes out, but this one was lacking compared to the previous ones.
It also got a little redundant at how many times we were told that Nikki's powers are mercurial (that is the word Ms Black loves to use), or how they only work if the moon is out.
The other Libere were non existent. Yeah, we got so see more of Leo the computer geek son of Hermes, but we didn't see anything of Jack the Loki child.
I will read the next one when it comes out, but this one was lacking compared to the previous ones.
October 29, 2014
Boring. That's pretty much the one word I'd use to sum this one up. It reads like filler and nothing much seems to have changed in Nikki's life from the first book.
Nikki can't protect her family so she's continuing to reluctantly work with Anderson & Co. by mostly mooching around the mansion. She's made no real progress on her new superpowers (admittedly it's only been a couple of months, but it doesn't look like she's been doing anything else with her time...) and hasn't really made an effort to get to know any of the other Liberi and then reflects on how she feels like an outsider. *Rolls eyes*
I quite enjoyed the first book, but I think I'm about ready to drop this series and move on to something where the characters actually grow and do stuff proactively.
Nikki can't protect her family so she's continuing to reluctantly work with Anderson & Co. by mostly mooching around the mansion. She's made no real progress on her new superpowers (admittedly it's only been a couple of months, but it doesn't look like she's been doing anything else with her time...) and hasn't really made an effort to get to know any of the other Liberi and then reflects on how she feels like an outsider. *Rolls eyes*
I quite enjoyed the first book, but I think I'm about ready to drop this series and move on to something where the characters actually grow and do stuff proactively.
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